This invention relates to a method for manufacturing a printed circuit board, and more particularly to a method for manufacturing two kinds of printed circuit boards different in configuration from one kind of master board.
A both-sides printed circuit board is such that circuit patterns are printed on both sides of an insulated board, and circuit parts are mounted on each of the two sides. Since devices can be mounted on both sides of the printed board, the both-sides printed circuit board is preferably employed for a device which must be small in size and high in mounting density. The configuration (or size) of a both-sides printed circuit board depends on the location where it is mounted. Boards different in size are formed with different metal molds. Therefore, in the case where two kinds of both-sides printed circuit boards different from each other only in size are manufactured, it is necessary to prepare two kinds of metal molds although similar circuit pattern is printed on the boards.
For instance, in a system that an operator located away from a work machine such as a crane is remote-controlled by an operator, an operating unit is arranged in the vicinity of the operator, and a control unit which is in pair with the operating unit is provided on the work machine side. In this case, the operating unit used by the operator is portable, and therefore it is necessary that the operating unit is as small in size as possible. On the other hand, the control unit provided on the work machine side is fixedly set, and therefore it is not always unnecessary that it is extremely small in size. In the above-described system, generally the printed circuit board for the operating unit and the printed circuit board for the control unit are designed separately and manufactured. Hence, as was described above, it is necessary to prepare two kinds of printed circuit boards and metal molds for forming the boards.
The internal circuits of the operating unit and the control unit, which are used in pair in one and the same system, include a lot of common parts. Accordingly, it is preferable to employ common (the same) printed circuit boards, because it is economical. However, to do so, it is necessary to solve a problem of formation of circuits of the parts other than the aforementioned same parts.
It is therefore an object of the present invention is to provide a printed circuit board manufacturing method which is able to form two kinds of printed circuit boards different in configuration from one kind of master board.
In order to achive the above object, there is provided a method for manufacturing two kinds of printed circuit boards from one master board, comprising the steps of: preparing the master board; forming slits on the master board to define a first circuit area; executing one of the following steps (a) and (b):
(a) forming first cut grooves extending substantially perpendicular to the slits so as to cross outer sides of both ends of slits on the master board to define a second circuit area which surrounds the first circuit area; and cutting the master board along the first cut grooves to separate a first individual circuit board including the first and second circuit areas;
(b) forming second cut grooves on the master board so as to cross both ends of the slits; and cutting the master board along the second cut grooves to separate a second individual circuit board including only the first circuit area.
The first and second individual circuit boards are to be used for circuit units which are employed in pair with each other, and circuit elements used in common to the pair of circuit units are to be mounted on the first circuit area.
The pair of circuit units are a control unit circuit and an operating unit circuit for operating the control circuit board, and the first individual circuit board is to be used for the control unit and the second individual circuit board is to be used for the operating unit circuit.
In a case where a plurality of individual circuit boards are manufactured from one master board, the manufacturing method comprises the steps of: preparing the master board; forming first slits on the master board to respectively define a first circuit area; forming at least one second slit extending substantially parallel to the first slits between the respective first circuit areas, the second slit being longer than the first slits to respectively define a second circuit area which surrounds the first circuit area; executing one of the following steps (a) and (b):
forming first cut grooves on the master board so as to cross both ends of the second slit; and cutting the master board along the first cut grooves to separate a plurality of first individual circuit boards respectively including only the first and second circuit areas;
(b) forming second cut grooves on the master board so as to cross both ends of the slits; and cutting the master board along the second cut grooves to separate a plurality of second individual circuit boards respectively including only the first circuit area.